


both of us so close to death

by boyslightup



Series: night creatures call [1]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood Drinking, Murder, Vampire Turning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:08:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29876778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boyslightup/pseuds/boyslightup
Summary: In 1950s Soho, Torchwood agent Lizbeth Hayhoe unwillingly finds herself entangled in Norton Folgate's world of horror and the occult.
Relationships: Norton Folgate & Lizbeth Hayhoe
Series: night creatures call [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2196630
Kudos: 2





	both of us so close to death

**Author's Note:**

> recommended listening: soho parasite, torchwood archive
> 
> this au is set in a universe where torchwood hunts supernatural beasts instead of aliens and other cosmic beings.

_ Soho, 1950s _

A phone rings on it’s handset behind a door. The door is ajar, and a swaying, flickering light peeks out from the gap. Like the phone's ringing, it spills into the hall.

“Is anyone going to pick that up?” A feminine voice echoes from another room. The phone continues to ring on and on, until it silences. A chair scrapes against the ground, and footsteps tap against the wooden floor. “Vicar?”

The hall, too, is lit by a swinging, flickering light. Any moment now it could fizzle, losing power and shrouding the tight space in darkness. At the very end of the hall, past every door, is a dark shape hidden in the shadows.

“Hello?” The sweet voice grows louder, and it’s accompanied by creaking floorboards. There’s a raggedy rug on the ground, and the person wandering nearly trips. She swears, but catches her footing. She calls out again.

As she approaches the end of the hall, the shadow takes shape. Her eyes adjust to the darkness, and she notices a crouched figure. “Is someone there?”

The crouched figure shifts. Knowing Torchwood, it could be a million things, but she prays it’s human. It is probably some agent seeking a laugh by scaring someone. Regardless, she reaches for her pistol that’s snug in it’s holster.

“Lizbeth?” The figure turns it’s head and speaks, and it shrugs something off it’s shoulders. It doesn't hit the floor, nor make a sound.

“Folgate?” Lizbeth asks. She sighs in relief and crosses her arms. “What are you doing down there? Shouldn’t you be-”

Norton rises to his feet. He kicks behind him whatever he dropped on the ground, then putting on a grin. Face falling and eyes widening, he reaches to what would be the breast pocket of his jacket, but he isn’t wearing one. Turning his head for a moment, he wipes his mouth on the back of his hand.

“Shouldn't I be what?” Norton asks. His voice is unsteady, it has a high pitched tone Lizbeth’s heard a million times before. When he starts to ramble, her hunch is confirmed. “It’s a Tuesday night, where else would I be than here, tidying up some unfinished business.” 

Looking behind Norton, Lizbeth’s curiosity raises the hairs on the back of her neck. “What on Earth is that behind you?” There’s another shape beneath dark, draped fabric, which must be Norton’s missing jacket.

Humming, Norton looks behind him for a long moment, then steps back. His heel jabs into something and he gasps, losing his balance then steadying himself with his hand against the wall.

Lizbeth pushes him out of the way and crouches down. She grasps the jacket and throws it away. Beneath her lies a body, soaked in blood with a pool of it drying beneath it. Her heart stops.

“I really wouldn’t if I were you-” Norton tries to leap in front of her, obscuring the body, but she stops him. 

“This is...” Lizbeth inspects the body closer. It is human, and she leans in to see the face. There is no sign of life in it’s wide eyes that are frozen in fear. “Oh, bloody hell it’s the Vicar.”

Norton groans. “Look, I told you not to have a peek, didn’t I?” He pulls himself away and stands over Lizbeth and the Vicar’s corpse.

“How did this happen?” Lizbeth puts her hand on the Vicar’s cold face. She scans his corpse, looking for any sign of injury despite the massive amount of blood. “It had to be murder. No man could do this to himself.”

“I was trying to investigate before you so rudely interrupted me,” Norton says. “Now I’m going to have to start again.”

Lizbeth frowns, her heart sinking. She was never too fond of the Vicar, but seeing him dead in such a grotesque manner cuts deep. “Who would’ve done something like this?” She stands up, and turns to face Norton. 

Up close, Lizbeth notices a patch of crusty crimson on Norton’s chin. His lower lip has a spot of darkness smeared across it too. When she looks down at Norton's bare hands he pulls them away, then she grabs them and brings them close to her. There’s a thin layer of red on his palms, and beneath his fingernails is muck.

“For heaven’s sake,” Lizbeth gasps. “Did you do this?”

Norton pulls his hands away and shoves them into the pockets of his trousers. “Do you really think I would murder the Vicar and leave his body to rot here for someone to find?” When Lizbeth raises her brow, he scoffs. “Okay, maybe I would, but I can tell you now that I didn’t.”

After knowing him for months and having worked with him for just as long, Lizbeth can see right through him. She’s seen him kill before, but only because he had to. There was no viable reason for him to murder their boss.

“You did, didn’t you?” Lizbeth stares at him, then turns to face the Vicar’s corpse again. Most of the time she could stay calm and clear headed, it was her job to do so, but not now. “I’m going to report you for this.”

“To who?” Norton asks. “They'll think you were an accomplice, so why don’t you help me hide the body?” 

One hand on her hip and the other against her forehead, Lizbeth draws a deep breath. After processing what Norton said, which took longer than it should have, she whips her head around to face him. “Tell me why you killed him.” When Norton shrugs, she pulls out her pistol and points the barrel to his nose. “Now.”

“Please, there’s no need for any of this,” Norton puts his hands in the air. “Put the gun down and I’ll explain once you help me hide the body.”

Lizbeth cocks the gun and tightens her finger against the trigger.

“Fine,” Norton rolls his eyes. “I did it because-” In a flash he unlocks his jaw, opening his mouth as wide as he can. His canines turn razor sharp, and his eyes glow for a brief moment. In fear Lizbeth drops her gun and recoils, but Norton stops her. 

Grabbing her by the collar, Norton pulls Lizbeth in fast. He pushes the starched fabric aside and sinks his teeth into her pulsating flesh. She squirms as she shrieks. With his spare hand he covers her mouth, but she still makes a string of muffled sounds.

The initial pain of Norton’s teeth in Lizbeth’s neck subsides fast, but she still cringes at the feeling of his mouth against her flesh. Being a member of Torchwood and a purveyor of all things supernatural, she turns weak at the knees when she realises what is happening. She can feel the blood in her neck pumping, and she stops screaming. There’s no point anymore.

After what feels like an eternity, Norton pulls away. He grins wide, blood dripping from his mouth. Droplets slide down the underside of his chin and onto his white shirt. “I am dreadfully sorry about the mess,” He wipes his mouth on the back of his sleeve. “I haven’t had a feed like that since, well, I killed the Vicar! My, I have feasted well tonight.”

Lizbeth turns to run away, but Norton grabs her by the wrist. “You can’t run, Lizbeth Hayhoe. We’re in this together now.  _ Forever _ .”

**Author's Note:**

> i've had this idea for a very long time, so i decided to bite the bullet and finally do something with it! this will eventually have more chapters, but will be part of "night creatures call", a series exploring more of my torchwood vampire au.


End file.
